(MALAYA) SAYING it puts the country “in a bad light,” Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada yesterday pushed law enforcement agencies to investigate the reported presence of cryptocurrency scam hubs in the country and called for their immediate dismantling.
In a statement, Estrada said law enforcement agencies should locate the illegal centers and knock them down and run after the syndicates operating the businesses.
The senator said operators can be charged with violation of RA 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 which mandates law enforcement agencies to “immediately initiate investigation and counter-trafficking-intelligence gathering upon receipt of statements or affidavits from victims or their families who are in possession of information on those trafficked individuals.”
Under the law, the primary agencies to “undertake surveillance, investigation, and arrest” of offenders are the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies like the Inter-Agency Council for Anti-Trafficking (IACAT) for the speedy arrest of the violators.
“Umaasa tayo, matapos na isiniwalat ng ating kasamahan sa Senado ang bagay na ito at may makapagpapatunay na nangyayari nga ito ngayon, na hindi magsasayang ng oras ang mga concerned agencies para masukol ang mga nasa likod nito at matigil ang kanilang iligal na gawain (After this was exposed by our colleague in the Senate and it is proven that this is happening, we hope that the efforts of our concerned agencies will not be wasted so that these illegal activities will be stopped),” Estrada said.
An Indonesian national on Wednesday told the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, chaired Senate minority leader Risa Hontiveros, that he and two other Indonesians fell prey to a syndicate operating a cryptocurrency hub in a condominium building in Pasay City.
The modus, according to alias Ridwan, is similar to those being operated in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos which prey on unsuspecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Ridwan attended the hearing via Zoom as he has returned to his country after only working for a few days in the Philippines.
Ridwan said he and his compatriots applied for a job as “digital marketers” to be based in the Philippines for a monthly salary of P80,000 to P100,000. They saw the job advertisement in a Facebook post.
They travelled to the Philippines on March 7 and were met by an “escort” who facilitated their seamless passage at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Bureau of Quarantine and Bureau of Immigration counters. They were later brought to the Bayport West NAIA Garden and stayed at Tower 5 which were assigned as their sleeping quarters.
They reported for work the following day at an adjacent tower, where they were briefed “to steal the identities of other people to scam targets.”
Ridwan said they were instructed to victimize their fellow Indonesians.
Ridwan said he found out that employees who do not perform well were electrocuted as a form of punishment which scared him. He then pretended to be unfit to work and requested that he allowed to return to Indonesia.
He said he paid P100,000 to his “employers” to cover for his expenses in going to the Philippines before he left the company on March 13. He departed for Indonesia on March 16.
Ridwan told the committee there may be more than 1,000 trafficked persons working in the company wanting to be rescued.
Estrada said RA 10364 has specific provisions which penalize human traffickers.